Omega
Recycles dryer sheets
I'm glad you asked this question Spock, such an important decision. Unfortunately for my mother the only choice was the state facility.
TP-
I’m very sorry to read about your DM’s experience. My DM was in a SNF/memory facility for the last 1+ yrs of her life but, fortunately, we didn’t have such a terrible experience. I’d like to know what your plans are for yourself & DW based on your DM’s experience.
Yeah, what will you do when the monthly bill steadily increases from about 4K per month for two, to more than $11K for one in the final year?
There is no way to get the bill down, other than move to your home.
Hi, I think it's somewhat of a crap shoot. I'd start by talking to friends/neighbors who might have had someone in a facility. As I walked the halls of the one my mom went to, I recognized many, many local (small town) family names on the residents' doors. Have lunch at the place. See what the food's like. See how the residents are treated. See if they are all on drugs to keep them stable (common in memory care units) - most seemed like zombies to me... Part of it will be cost, part may be location. Think about future care needs. Some places will allow residents to 'age in place', but others will kick them out if they need an IV, or some higher level of care. After my mom broke her pelvis, a national chain (Bro_kdale) would not allow bedrails for her bed to keep her from falling out if she tried to get up. She did fall, but fortunately, we had a mat placed on the floor to cushion the fall. Look at how many staff there are, how accessible they are, and how they interact with patients. The two sides of facility where my mom went were very different places (memory care side vs. assisted living side). My mom's facility steered us to their pharmacy, which charged much higher rates for drugs than a regular pharmacy. I would avoid this, and just have the drugs delivered by your regular pharmacy.
Best of luck and best wishes.
I dealt with the bed rail issue, evidently, it is prohibited by State law because there is a history of patients getting tangled in the rails and injuring themselves. Their solution, providing a cushion mat, is medically acceptable.
I am with you on the pharmacy issue. They are required to have single dose packets, you can't bring the meds in a bottle, so pharmacy options are few.
I did check out both places in my OP with https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/search.html?
The PlaceB facility that was an absolute disaster is rated overall 5 stars there!
It's looking like there is no way to pick a good place up front... and even if you do it can degrade quickly with staff turn over.
Should have given more info for the numbers. Costs were going from Independent Living (about $4k) to Assisted Living ($7,5k) to Memory Care (>$10k). I have no information on nursing home.Sure they'll need a nursing home?
Just moved my older relative from a nursing home they disliked to their own room in a nearby assisted living.
They are much happier...and a private room in assisted living is less than half the cost of a semi-private nursing bed, even with the significant assistance they need (terminal cancer, on Hospice)
Should have given more info for the numbers. Costs were going from Independent Living (about $4k) to Assisted Living ($7,5k) to Memory Care (>$10k). I have no information on nursing home.
I think "nursing home" is a legacy concept.I would assume nursing home is the stage between Assisted Living to Menory Care. I’m new to all these terms.
I think "nursing home" is a legacy concept.
The three I mentioned, IL, AL, Memory, are in one private facility. CCRC.
Here are some terms:
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/residential-facilities-assisted-living-and-nursing-homes
To me - a nursing home is really a kind of hospital - a skilled nursing facility. This assumes the patient needs daily nursing care.